The IF Factor

Adversity is inevitable. Challenges, setbacks, disappointment, criticism – you won’t be able to avoid these for long. The most important question is how will you respond to adversity? If there is anyone with reason enough to respond to his circumstances with a negative attitude, it’s Rob Mendez. Rob was born with what they call tetra-amelia…

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Don Yaeger is a dear friend of mine. He’s joined me onstage for Live2Lead, Executive Circle, and together we produced The Mentor’s Guide to Building a Championship Team. His knowledge of sports is legendary, but his insight into the leadership lessons sports contains is greater. This week, I’ve asked Don to write a guest post…

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If your life in any way connects with other people, you are an influencer.  My good friend Tim Elmore shared an amazing statistic with me several years ago that I’ve never forgotten. Sociologists tell us that even the most introverted individual will influence 10,000 people during his or her lifetime. Everyone influences someone!   That means the question we…

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Last week I wrote in The Limits of a One-Man Show that a leader who doesn’t share his or her vision, influence, and momentum with others will see all three diminish over time. I learned that lesson at Hillham, and it’s one I’ve never forgotten. It is absolutely essential for any leader to find capable women…

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Legacies that matter are connected with people. A hundred years from now all that will matter is the people that you connected with in such a way that you added value and meaning to their lives. Political commentator Walter Lippmann said, “The final test of a leader is that he leaves behind in others the…

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Last Sunday, I returned home from the most important leadership week of my life. It was spent in Guatemala, June 9-16, where I was privileged to witness and participate in life transformation on an international scale. We were in Guatemala as part of my nonprofit organization EQUIP’s Global Transformation initiative. This effort was begun last…

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When the Final Four tips off this weekend, some familiar faces will be roaming the sidelines in Rick Pitino of Louisville and Jim Boeheim of Syracuse. Together, they have more than 1,575 career wins, have taken 48 trips to the NCAA tournament, making eleven Final Four Appearances and claiming two national titles. However, the hottest…

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Successful coaches come with a variety of personalities. Mike Ditka and Bobby Knight exuded emotion whereas Phil Jackson had a stoical demeanor. Pat Summitt was the very picture of intensity, while John Madden was gregarious and affable. Geno Auriemma’s outspoken and animated style paints a stark contrast to Tom Landry’s poised and understated manner of…

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